We are going to be setting up runs and a kennel building for our dogs in the spring. Does anyone have any suggestions on how wide or long they should be? Cement or paving stones? And what did you use for a roof? We live in the West Coast......so we get a lot of rain. Can you share some photos or links to websites or your own runs you've built? Thank you so much in advance.

I have a diagram of our kennel setup that I made for someone a few years ago. Since you did not identify yourself or give an email address on your post, I can not send it to you. Sorry.

We just built our 'outbuilding' and I'm using part of it as my kennel. Part of the kennel runs are covered by shingled roof. My outside runs are 5 x 15 feet and inside are 5 x 10. My dogs like to sleep in a pack so I did do a double run and I put three in that run. Floor is cement inside and out. I have pipe beds for them both inside and outside.

Breeder 101 ...

We live on the West Coast as well. We have 6 outside cyclone runs that are 9' wide x 12' length and 6' high. They are covered with a metal roof. All pieces, including the roof, are modular so they can be broken down and moved. The ground is cement for ease of cleaning/bleaching.

We do not have a kennel building. We have cyclone kennels in the garage that flank both sides. We got the idea from Mary Wiest and used it here. The indoor kennels are in 3 sections with 4 stalls in each. Within each section, three stalls are configured at 3'x3'x3' and one is configured at 2'x3'x3'. When the temp drops below 25 degrees the dogs come into the garage at night. Again these are modular pieces so they can be moved, etc.

We are lucky in California that our weather is not as harsh as our peer's weather can get as you cross the country. The draw back in CA is we have a harder time growing coat to compete with those who live back East in the snow. That being said, our dogs remain outside unless the temp drops below 25 degrees at night.

Here is a link to our outside set up: http://www.shadowbrooklabs.com/sbkennel1.html

I hope this helps ...

Michael

Thanks for your reply Michael. May I ask what a cyclone run is?

Sorry ... chain link fence

http://www.cement.org/basics/concretebasics_faqs.asp

I'm on the West Coast too like Michael but further North in Washington state so much cooler and wetter. We are just getting ready to build our new kennel building and dog runs this spring.

We are building a 48 x 26 building that will be my husbands work shop/my office & dog room with a 2 bedroom apartment upstairs. Our dogs will have a covered outdoor kennel area that will be an approx. 48 x 18 covered area with a "sealed" concrete floor. Sealing your concrete is VERY important. It helps the water run off when you hose and it will not allow the urine and it's smell to penetrate the concrete. We will have four 14 x 6 x 6 chain link kennel runs that will mostly be used for girls in season and the occassional vising dogs. I don't like my dogs to live on concrete all the time. Beyond this area we will have a 36 x 48 main dog yard and beyond that 3 long dog paddocks approx. 20' x 100'. These large paddocks will also have each a small complet shelter for weather protection and group snuggling :o)

Our dogs all sleep inside in crates at night.

Hope this helps.